Is someone supposed to become a believer after saying a prayer?

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

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One is saved if they Agape Love Jesus Christ of Nazareth. A prayer or belief without Love is of no consequence .
Blessings

Hmm.

You know what this sounds like to me? This sounds like you were honestly searching for the Truth and you found it. That is just the way the Lord works.

Matthew 7:7-12
"“Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Who among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him. Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”"

John 8:31-32
"Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”"

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

The answer to your question is no. And there is a very good example of it recorded in Acts.

Act 19:1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
Act 19:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Act 19:3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Act 19:4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

So we ask the question, when was Apollos saved? If Apollos was saved when he believed why did he then need to be baptized and have hands laid on him to receive the Holy Spirit?

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

Seems to me you were believing or seeking to believe God existed so you shot up a flair. Sure God many times will answer such prayers.....but he'll lead you to the gospel.

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

All OT saints were saved, like Abraham, Noah, Abel etc, without knowing the name of Jesus yet. And all who call upon the Lord with a broken spirit and humble and contrite heart God can save. For they are looking to Gods righteousness not their own. That righteousness was witnessed by the law but revealed in Jesus Christ. With more light given now, men must now be brought to the full revelation. But God has shined in the heart of all men if they comes to him . The true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the world.l (John 1:9 KJV). They are not all going to be saved in the end by the Light of a Christ but to those that receive him to them he gave the power to become son of God.,

John 3: 19. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

We see a man in the temple who cried to God saying “God be merciful to me a sinner” and Jesus said he went home justified. It was not a formal prayer but a heart felt cry in prayer to God. God years these.

Luke 18: 13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

A person becomes a believer by believing. Believing what that Jesus is who He says He is The Son of God the promised Messiah, the resurrection and the life.


Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

The brief answer is no. Being saved is not like some sort of magic, where you say the right words and it happens. When the jailer at Philippi asked how he could be saved, another way of talking about becoming a believer, the apostles replied, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." They didn't say, "Pray these words and you will be saved."

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity.

Click to expand...

I would say there are people who hear about Jesus and how He died for us and for our sins, and we need to trust in Him for salvation. And then they pray for Jesus to save them and do all He pleases with them. So, if they pray this and mean this, I would say this can get them started with God.

But what matters most is what God does. The Bible gives us guarantees of what God does with someone who has trusted in Jesus. The person is turned "from the power of Satan to God" (in Acts 26:18), forgiven, adopted to become a child of God, and God personally corrects every one of His children so we share in His holiness in His love's "peaceable fruit of righteousness" > Hebrews 12:4-14. And God shares His own love with us "in our hearts" (Romans 5:5), and personally rules us in His peace (Colossians 3:15). And there is more that His word guarantees us.

So, trust God to do what He wants to do.

JohnB445 said:

So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Click to expand...

I believe a person gets saved when he or she trusts in Jesus. And I find that this includes the process of God preparing the person to do this >

"'No one can come to Me unless the Father draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, "And they shall all be taught by God." Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.'" (John 6:44-45)

JohnB445 said:

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

God is creative with each of us. But Jesus is His one way.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (in John 14:6)

So, a prayer is not the way, but it can be included. If you come to where you trust a person, you likely will communicate, and prayer *can* be communication with God.

All that it takes to be saved is, to believe on the Lord Jesus. Believe in your heart and say or call upon the name of the Lord, as Saul of Tarsus did when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, and you will be saved. All that Paul said in repentance was "Lord!" When Jesus confronted him saying "Why do you persecute ME!?" Saul could have remembered hearing what his mentor Gamaliel said, Do not prevent them or you may find yourself to be against God."

Acts 2:37-39
When the Jewish from nations round about heard this, they were cut to their hearts and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise belongs to you and your children and to all who are far off—to all whom the Lord our God will call to Himself.”


Yes, you can be saved by a prayer of your own, or by the given salvation prayer of another for you to repeat after.. even though you know little or not much at all about how to be saved, even though you know little about theological topics such as Jesus being raised from the dead. When you believe in Jesus to save you, you are by definition believing that He is alive to hear you and thereby save you.

There is a scripture that says Believe on the Lord Jesus and you and your household shall be saved. Paul used the same principle to ensure that all in the ship with him would live and none die because of the storm at sea.

The Bible does not make salvation complicated that you have to use a certain formula of words to be saved or that you have to hear a sermon and understand all of the theological connecting topics of redemption and salvation in order to be saved.

Jesus did all of the complicated work for us when he was on the cross in our place in order for salvation to be easy for us.

It's not magic. It's faith. All you have to do is believe.

JohnB445 said:

I speak from experience, although later in my life I ended up believing in Jesus. It did not happen right away or instantly after saying a prayer. I had no idea who Jesus was at the beginning after all, I didn't know anything of his death, burial, and resurrection at the time, or that God was a trinity. So I studied, and learned what the Bible is saying. It was only until then I read some verses, particularly John 3:16 was when I became a believer in Jesus Christ. I did believe in a God right before that happened, and during when this happened and after it happened I fully believed that God was Jesus.

I want to know, without knowing who Jesus is, or anything at all about the Bible can someone be saved after saying a prayer and becoming a believer?

Maybe everyone has a different experience, for me it wasn't until I really wanted to know who God was and until I was determined to find out.

Click to expand...

It would seem so ... an example is the thief on the cross (his simple prayer - remember me) .... assuming (and we do) he had no previous knowledge yet was saved through the faith of Jesus (Jesus gave him the faith of a mustard seed) ... that is he recognized Jesus as God ... void of any biblical teaching as far as we know.

The Bible tells us that faith has a source, and it isn't us. Hebrews 12 says that Jesus is the author of our faith. In 2 Peter 1:1 we read, “To those who have been allotted faith equally precious as ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” We are allotted faith in Jesus. It is given to us by God.

Faith of a mustard seed ....

Jesus used the mustard seed as an analogy to illustrate the power of even the smallest amount of faith

Faith starts as a mustard seed, when one receives the seed of faith then it is the Lord's desire that seed be watered by learning about the water of life (Jesus) that allows that seed to grow. He does indeed intend for us to grow ... however salvation is entirely up to Him, only He knows the heart.

When we come to the Lord with the faith of a mustard seed ... then we realize we are also thirsty for water.

The more we live life seeking to be filled by the Holy Spirit, the more we will long for God and further revelation of God's character. This is known as a 'thirst'. As we continue to be transformed by the Holy Spirit's renewing of our mind and actions, we will be more motivated in love toward God and others.

We will be driven to the Word of God because we are a seed thirsty in need of water

In essence, Jesus is the living water, providing the necessary spiritual nourishment for our souls to thrive. This metaphor comes to life in John 7:38 where Jesus declares: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them”.

HTacianas said:

The answer to your question is no. And there is a very good example of it recorded in Acts.

Act 19:1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples
Act 19:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”
Act 19:3 And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”
Act 19:4 Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.

So we ask the question, when was Apollos saved? If Apollos was saved when he believed why did he then need to be baptized and have hands laid on him to receive the Holy Spirit?

Click to expand...

Would Paul have baptized the unsaved?